The Real Beginning
by stampensue
Summary: I have screwed it up again! I'm sorry. This should be the real 2nd chapter to my story "The Healer"


The Beginning

"Papa, Papa." She cried as she placed his head down on the pillow and gently closed his eyes. Her beloved father was dead and Kathryn couldn't stop the tears. The only parent she'd ever known. Her dear mother had died when she herself was just a babe. How she adored her father and he did her. They lived a simple life in the highlands under the rule of the oppressive Lord Kazon. How was she going to live by herself? The answer would come sooner than she expected.

The evening that Kathryn laid her father in the simple grave the overseer knocked hard on her door.

"I mean no disrespect Miss but it ain't proper for a lass to be livin' up here all by herself. With no man paying the rent the Lord Kazon will be lookin to displace you and let someone willin' to pay one way or another to take this cottage."

"But I will pay Mr. O'Dell."

"With what lassie?"

"I am a healer and a midwife." I'll manage alright."

"I am sorry lass but it's already been done. You'll have to pack up tomorrow and vacate by weeks end. Between you and me I think he's plannin' on moving his latest 'companion' in here so he can make late night visits away from the Lady of the Manor if you know what I mean. Why don't you put your belongins in my barn and stay with the missus and me. We got a little room and you can practice your trade from our place."

"Thank you, and thank your wife for me. I'll let you know in the morning."

As she watched him leave she knew she had to leave this land. She'd pack up her things, load the small wagon her father had built and set out for the south. The Lord Kazon didn't rule all of the Highlands. She'd find somewhere that would welcome someone who could heal some of their aches and pains and bring new life into this world. It couldn't be this bleak all over the Highlands could it?

"Oh Papa. I wish you were here to guide me."

She spent most of the evening and into the next day packing, and collecting as many herbs, roots and spices she used in her work. There was one place she needed to go before she left this mountain; her mountain. It was her special hiding spot since she was a child. It was the cave. She played there as a child and slept there on hot summer nights.

Papa would pretend they were pirates with buried treasure. Or sometimes they were the king and his princess in their imaginary world inside the mountain.

She walked slowly to her hidden world but as she approached she heard voices. I thought no one knew about this place!"

Crouching behind the dead tree trunk that had fallen during a lightning storm years earlier she waited until she understood their intent. What she heard had her anger building and knew she'd better keep her presence hidden until they were out of sight.

As soon as she was sure their departure was permanent she made her way into the cave. What she had gathered from the bits and pieces she could hear the couple say they were leaving "it" in here to die. They wanted to "rid themselves" of this "problem" before anyone caught them with it. It made them nervous and they didn't want it any more."

"What kind of animal was "it"? Couldn't they just give it away?"

Getting about 10 feet into the darkness she could make out a basket. She heard crying and thought, "that doesn't sound like any animal she knew". If she didn't know any better she'd swear it was a baby.

It was a baby! By the look of its mouth with about 6 teeth, and pulling itself up to stand she'd estimate it to be about 1 year.

"Oh bloody hell! They're going to let you die!" How could they do such a horrid thing?" "You're a beautiful child. But who are you and where did you come from?" I know all the children around these parts and you're not one of them. I'd never seen your parents before. We're getting out of here in case they come back to check that the task is done." She cringed at the thought.

Getting back to the cottage she brought her discovery in to check it over.

"Let's see, first things first. You need a bath little one. Filling the cauldron and warming it on the hearth she peeled off the urine soaked clothing.

"Well young sir, now that I know you're a 'he' I think I'll call you Edward after my papa. In you go."

Placing him into the makeshift tub she marveled at how playful he was. Slapping the water, smiling, yelping.

"I promise I'll love you with all my heart Edward. I can't let those people find you to finish the job they started. You're mine now and we are going to start a new life, just the two of us. They may not want you but I do."

When she was finished she dressed him in old clothes she had left over from the shelter she helped run for poorer members of the clan. She often wondered why her papa would cook so much food for the just two of them until the day she saw him serving the left-overs to a passing family and boarding them down in the barn.

Soon she started collecting clothes that families had outgrown and would hand these things out as well. She learned so much compassion from her father and vowed she'd never let anyone suffer if she could help them.

The evening meal was the last she'd have in her cottage and she now had a renewed sense of hope. Once Edward was settled down for the night she cut diapers from some muslin she had stored. She laid out their breakfast and packed up all the dried food and supplies. She laid down next to her new son and ran her fingers through his curly brown hair lightly. She touched his cheek and marveled at his beauty.

"My son. We may not be blood Edward, but we are a family now. Just the two of us."

With that she closed her eyes and slept fitfully, worried that Edward might need her. She was awakened at dawn to two little chubby hands pulling on her night clothes.

"Well good morning to you my little one. What do you say to a bite to eat and we'll be on our way."

Hitching up the mule and wagon, and finishing up the packing all the while carrying Edward on her hip proved quite the job. Every time she'd put him down to load the wagon he'd cry and stretch out his arms to signal 'pick me up'. Kathryn couldn't resist him so it was well into the morning when she finally secured him into the basket at her feet and started on the journey that would change her life forever. Mr. O'Dell would hopefully find the note she left explaining that she was traveling to the north where she had an aunt that she would live with. No one would ever know what became of the daughter of Edward Janeway.


End file.
